His Mother's Last Wish
by lysser8312
Summary: 10 yrs later, Karen doesn’t have much time left. Her last wish is to see Lucas with someone who makes him happy. He goes to an old friend to make his mother think he’ll be okay while Haley struggle to save her crumbling marriage. LPNH.
1. The Day Things Changed

**Title: His Mother's Last Wish**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything in this story besides the plot. Which kinda sucks, eh well read it anyway :)

**Summary: **10 yrs. Later, Karen doesn't have much time left. Her last wish is to see Lucas with someone who makes him happy. He goes to an old friend to make his mother think he'll be okay. LP, some NH, and maybe JB?

**Author's Note: **Okay, I just keep starting these things, but I figured this kinda different from my normal stuff. I guess it's gonna be a mix of everything, angst and fluff and drama and romance. I hope you all like it though.

**Chapter 1: The Day Things Changed

* * *

**

"Hello!" he jumped from where he'd dozed off on his couch, answering the phone. The ringing in his ear had immediately made him open his eyes.

"Hi, is this Mr. Lucas Scott?" a deep voice spoke into the phone, Lucas already knew exactly who it was.

"Yeah, is this about my mom?" he was anxious for news, anything to assure him that he wouldn't lose his mother at 27 years old. He was too young to be totally alone.

His job consumed most of his time, he hadn't had a steady girlfriend in years, partially from his own lack of commitment, and then there was just no time for anyone else in his life.

"Yes, this is about your mother, Ms. Karen Roe. We find your mother has contracted lung cancer, which has also spread to her liver and possibly other vital organs. We've put her on a donor's list, but the chance of getting a donor for all of these organs in time is highly doubtful. I'm very sorry, Mr. Scott. If you'd like to come down the hospital in the next few days to sign some papers it would be appreciated," the doctor's voice faded from his ears quickly. The feeling in his stomach was comparable to being punched in the gut numerous times.

"Ok, thanks," he let the phone drop from his ear, realizing how quickly the last month with his mother had blown past him.

_It was only a month ago that his mom was healthy, that they had been sitting in the café having lunch, catching up on their lives and the time they had been apart. He had left for NYU straight out of high school, leaving everyone and everything behind him The drama with Peyton and Brooke through senior year had escalated to the point that Brooke left before senior year was over. Brooke had gone to California to stay with her parents and Peyton found a new man to give her heart to._

"_Have you seen anyone yet, Luke?" the dark haired woman sipped on a soda, watching her little boy process her question, but she realized after ten years that he was no longer her little boy._

"_Nah, I don't really think I'm gonna see anyone before I leave tonight. After the way I left I don't think anyone wants to see me," he smiled at his mother as a look of disdain crossed her aging face._

"_Don't think that way. Whenever I see Haley and Nathan they always ask about you. I also think they'd really like for you to meet Michael and Tara. Did I mention Haley's pregnant again?" his eyes opened wide, shaking his head. "Well, she is, she's due in about five months. They're really happy Luke…she misses you."_

"_I know, but I know Haley, she's angry that I left too, and I'm just not ready to face all of that yet," Karen leaned back, respecting her son's decision to cower away after ten years._

"_Alright, Luke. What about the girls?"_

"_You honestly think either of them wants anything to do with me? After the way senior year played out? Yeah, okay, mom," the words were dripping with sarcasm._

"_Hey, alright, it was just a question. Don't think because you're almost 27 that you can talk to me like that," she chided._

_There was a moment of silence when Karen grabbed her stomach in pain, doubling over to the floor._

"_Mom!" Lucas grabbed her in horror, pulling his cell phone out with shaking hands._

"_Hello? I need an ambulance to Karen's Café now!" he held his mother in his hands watching her carefully. "Mom, just hold on, the ambulance is on it's way."_

What was he going to do without her? She was all he had left, she had been his best friend since he was a little kid growing up without a father, and now she was leaving him. The phone rang again, in his frustration he tore it from the wall, shattering it across the room.

"God damn it!" he tore his coat from the hook on the wall, walking out of his mother's house and off to the one place that had ever been able to comfort him.

* * *

**And it was** that place that he found his brother with his nephew, shooting at the basket. Lucas had never met his own niece or nephew, hadn't talked to his brother or sister-in-law in almost ten years, but there he was. Nathan glanced in his direction, squinting and finally his eyes opened in shock of who stood there.

"Lucas?"

Quickly the blonde shook his head, shaking himself from his thoughts. He looked at his younger brother, who had aged in ten years, who looked more grown up, who was playing with his son.

"Hey," he smiled at his brother, waving off the phone call he had gotten less than ten minutes ago. He proceeded to meet Nathan half way, surprised when the brunette pulled him into a hug.

"Just leave and decide not to get in touch with anyone for ten years, asshole," he smiled at Lucas, teasing him behavior.

"Yeah, I'm sorry about that, I just…I needed a fresh start, I guess…" Lucas looked down at the boy beside Nathan, knowing he had missed out on far too much.

"Well, at least you're here now when your Mom needs you. Uh, so Luke, this is Mikey…Mike, this is your Uncle Luke, the one Mommy talks about all the time, the guy from the pictures," the shy little boy's face slowly formed a smile. He approached his Uncle and extended his right hand.

"Hi, Uncle Luke," he smiled a toothy grin, making Lucas laugh.

"Hey, Mikey, how ya been?" he shook the little boy's hand, ruffling his hair in the process.

"Mke, go play," Nathan handed the ball off to the five year old, watching him run off to the court, throwing the large ball up with no success.

"He seems like a good kid…I'm sorry about all this," Lucas directed between them, to how far he had drifted from everything that was important to him over the years.

"Look, man, I missed ya, you're my brother, but I'm not the one you should be apologizing to.

"_How could he just leave, Nathan?" Haley sobbed into his arms, knowing her best friend was gone for good this time._

"_Just give him some time, Hales, he'll come around," Nathan tried to soothe his hysterical wife who was latched onto his shoulder._

"_No, no he won't. I know Lucas, he's gone and I'm not gonna talk to him again, what am I supposed to do without him?" her red eyes tore at his heart._

"_You'll be alright…"_

"Haley's the one you need to talk to," he pointed out, directing his brother straight down the street to where they lived.

"I know, I know. I'll go talk to her and then I gotta go down to the hospital to sign some papers for my Mom…" Lucas let his sentence linger in the air, wondering if Nathan knew what he had just found out.

"Any updates?"

"Uh…nothing new," he lied, turning on his heel and heading to his brother's house.

* * *

**He tapped on **the solid oak door of the house, it was exactly what he expected of Haley and Nathan. Not too big, Nathan had never taken advantage of Dan's money after getting emancipated at sixteen, but big enough to house his growing family comfortably.

Haley opened the door quietly, making sure not to wake a sleeping Tara. Her efforts were fruitless when she found Lucas at her door, making her scream and slap him across the face.

"Okay, I deserved that," he didn't smile at her, just stood with his hands buried in his pockets.

"Oh god," she gasped, still her eyes weren't focusing right. He stepped to her, opening his arms for a hug but all he received were punches against his chest from the brunette. She continued to hit at him, he noticed the tears falling from her eyes, but didn't dare try to stop her from letting out her frustration with him. He couldn't blame her, he left without a word for ten years, if the situation were reversed he wasn't sure that he would even talk to her at all.

"Haley, I'm sorry," he said softly, pulling her against him as she cried in his arms.

"I can't believe this is happening, to your mom, that you're back, that you left me," she cried, not bothering to struggle against him anymore. She wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, holding him close as she cried.

"Hales, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," he pleaded with her, and it wasn't until then did he realize how much he missed having her in his life.

"Luke, your mom…God, how are you?" she didn't move from his embrace, but she knew from the way his breath caught in his throat that he wasn't doing as well as they all thought.

"She's not gonna make it, Haley. It spread to her liver, and they're not gonna find a donor in time," she felt his breathing get more shallow as a few hot tears hit her shoulder.

"Lucas," she whispered against his ear, holding him as he cried to her. Even after ten years their bond was still evident, he could still go to her with anything. "Do you want me to go with you to the hospital?" she suggested, but felt him shake his head against her shoulder.

He pulled away, wiping at his eyes like a little boy, making her nostalgic for the times when they were younger.

"No, I'm gonna go down and spend some time with her, I'll be alright. I'll see ya later?" she nodded, watching him turn back down her steps. His navy blue suit jacket fit him well, his shoulders had grown to be more broad, she noticed he looked more like man now.

"Luke," he turned to look at her, his blue eyes shining. "Why don't you come back for dinner, you can crash here tonight instead of being alone at your moms. And we'll watch some old movies?" a smile appeared on her face, waiting for an answer.

"Well…um, I just –"

"No, c'mon, I don't want you to be alone tonight after everything. Just come back here after the hospital and at least have dinner, please," he grinned at her, nodding his head before walking off.

* * *

**The hospital halls** were full of people, but it didn't phase him, he just pushed through. He reached the front desk, argued with the nurse for five minutes and finally obtained the papers he needed.

Sluggishly, he made his way to the waiting room, sitting next to a brunette with curly hair that struck him as very familiar. He pulled his wallet out to write down his mother's social security number when a picture fell from a side pocket, as it so often did every time he pulled cards out of the aged wallet.

"Damn," he mumbled, bending over to grab the picture but finding it in the hands of the girl who was sitting next to him. He still couldn't see her face past her dark hair, but when she turned to him with wide eyes he knew exactly why he could remember the curls.

"Peyton?"

"Lucas?"

They were both shocked with who they found, how fate had always seemed to lead them back to each other in some way. She didn't stand to hug him the way he expected after ten years, she just handed him his picture back and stood to walk away.

"Hey," he ran after her, grabbing her wrist before she could get too far away.

"Don't touch me," she hissed, stalking back down the hallway, leaving him utterly confused. He hadn't expected her to be so cold after ten years, but he had to know why. Again he took off after the brunette, finding her at the coffee machine.

"What's going on? It's been ten years and we can't be civil?"

"That's exactly it, it's been ten years, and you know how it was when you left, you jerkoff," her eyes were full of ice, as he thought back.

"_Peyton, we can't…" he whispered, his lips just barely touching hers as they laid in her backseat. He wasn't sure how they got there, it had been a raging party, they both had a few more drinks than they should of._

"_Mmm, yes we can," she moaned beneath him, his hot breath making contact with her skin._

"_You're with Ryan," he stuttered through his words, barely knowing how he had enough common sense to say no._

"_But I love you, Luke, always have," she slurred along, pulling at his shirt._

"_Peyton, I'm leaving tomorrow," he sobered up at her words, she did the same hearing that sentence._

"_What?"_

"_I'm leaving…"_

"_So you let me make an ass out of myself back here, making out with me the whole night, we end up here and you couldn't have told me this before?" she questioned, holding tears back._

"_Look, I'm sorry, I didn't know it was gonna turn out to be this. I thought it was just…a tonight thing…" he confessed, shrugging._

_She shoved him in the chest, "You unbelievable asshole. When has it ever been one night with us, Lucas? Did you honestly expect no feelings, did you think I was a cheap whore?" she rose her voice to him, as he winced, sinking away._

"_No, I just…we never specified," he wasn't about to be intimidated._

"_Well, I don't sleep with everyone who I make-out with, Lucas! You of ALL people should know that, but oh," she laughed bitterly, "I guess I was wrong, just get the fuck out!"_

"_Peyt-"_

"_Get the fuck out!" he followed her demands._

"_Look, if it's worth anything, I'm –"_

"_Don't fucking say it, Lucas. Don't you dare say it, because you don't mean it. You never have, so just go, leave it alone…"_

"Peyton, I didn't mean to, I'm so-"

"Oh no, don't go there, Lucas. I stopped you ten years ago and I'll stop you now, so you just back the fu-"

"Mr. Scott, we need your forms, your mother is asking for you. The doctors have informed her that we probably won't find a donor in time, as a mother, from me to you, spend as much time as you can with her," the nurse winked at him, full of shame he turned to look back at Peyton who's eyes had suddenly softened to pools of tears.

"Lucas…what happened?"

"Nothing, it's nothing. You don't need me, I don't need you. I don't wanna be a charity case just because my mom's dying, so don't act like everything's fine now. You were obviously really angry, and just because my mom's dying doesn't mean it's all better, so just go back to whatever you were doing, you live your life, I'll live mine. It's worked out pretty well don't you think?" he stared at her, turning his back to her and walked off to a door down the hallway, his head hanging low.

She had royally screwed that one up, and now she felt like the biggest bitch the world had ever created. She followed to the door he had entered, she knew how it felt to not want to be the charity case. But she needed to make it up to him, she watched him hold his mother's hand up against his lips, and it broke her heart. Maybe she still didn't like him, but she knew how it felt, and it hurt to be alone with all the pain that was headed his way.

* * *

**Okay, that's the start. I can't say this is going to be a top priority story yet, but I like where it's headed, and I've got some things planned for it. So REVIEW and tell me what you thought of the first chapter.**


	2. The Wish

**His Mother's Last Wish**

**Author's Note: **Thanks for the reviews on this guys, I'm glad people are reading. You'll see how the story formulates as we go on, and what the basic plot is. So, anyway, I hope you like this.

**Chapter 2: The Wish

* * *

**

"Hey, Lucas," her voice was gentle and weak as he took a spot in the chair next to her.

"What am I supposed to do without you, Ma?" he pleaded with shining eyes. She reached her hand up to touch his scruffy cheek.

"You went ten years without me, you'll be alright, and you'll have your own family one day. I heard you saw Nathan and Haley, you've got them now too, everything's gonna be okay," she smiled at her son, but he couldn't return the gesture she noticed.

"We talked while I was gone, at least I knew if I wanted to come home you'd be here waiting. I don't think I can do this," his eyes filled quickly, watching her lay there hooked up to all of those beeping machines.

"You're a strong person, Lucas. I made sure of that while you were growing up, you're going to be just fine. I want you to do something for me though," he rose his eyebrows, taking her hand in his own again.

"Anything."

"I want you to make amends with the girls and keep them in your life. I don't think you realized how deeply they both cared for you, you need that for these upcoming months. I don't want you to regret losing them when you're my age. And I want you to be with someone you _love_ and makes you happy. Makes you so happy you can't bear to be away from her. I can't stand to think that you might live your life alone wrapped up in your job. Please, Luke," she let her eyes pierce him, she so desperately wanted her little boy to be happy with the way his life turned out.

"I will," he promised, kissing the back of her hand.

"I'm serious…"

"I know that, and I will," he stood, pulling away from her, "I love you."

"I love you too," she whispered, watching him make his way to the door. He glanced back, waving and closing the door behind him. Heaving a sigh he let his back hit the wall, bringing his hands up to his eyes, rubbing at them furiously.

* * *

**He heard her **approach him, but he knew he didn't have time to deal with her, with how she was going to treat him, not after that conversation with his dying mother. He walked away from her, and she knew she deserved it, but went after him.

"Lucas, please talk to me. I'm sorry about what I said…I'm just, still hurt, ya know. I've never been that open with someone so easily, I felt so humiliated when you walked away from me that night. You've gotta understand where I'm coming from," she walked after him, but he wouldn't stop for her. "Lucas…"

"What?" he snapped, turning to look at her with glassy eyes. "Look, I get it, okay, I was an asshole, thanks for rubbing it in. I just, can't do this with you right now, Peyton. I've got a lot going on, and quite frankly, I just want you to leave me alone," he turned away from her once more, leaving the hospital grounds.

And now, she didn't know what to do.

* * *

**He returned to **Nathan and Haley's an hour later, after some well spent alone time at the River Court. Basketball had always helped to calm his nerves, and this time was no exception.

"So, you were almost late, but I won't count it against ya," Haley smiled, taking the burgers to the table where Nathan and their two kids were seated. And that's what he needed, someone who treated him the way she would've treated him, mother dying or not.

"Sorry, I stopped by the River Court. Burgers?" he grinned at Haley as she nodded proudly.

"Yes, and some fries, Nathan's suggestion," she nodded to her husband who was helping Mike with pouring the water into his glass. This was good, something normal.

An hour later Nathan had taken the kids over to Jake's to spend some time with Jenny who was now ten, but adored Tara. Jake also had two other children, another girl and finally a boy, tragically their mother had died only a year ago, leaving Jake completely devastated and left with three children to raise. Emma and Zach still didn't fully grasp the fact that their mother was gone forever, but they understood enough. They were twins, both a year older than Mikey.

"How's she doing?" Haley questioned Lucas who sat in silence on the couch.

"Alright. She knows, and she wanted me to do something for her, but I mean I think it's almost impossible to do before she…before there's no time left," he hated saying she was dying, it seemed way too final.

"What's she want?"

"She said she wanted me to make up with Peyton and Brooke and then find someone who makes me happy so I don't live the rest of my life alone…I mean how am I supposed to do that?" he looked over to find her sitting next to him on the couch.

"Okay, maybe you're going to dislike me for this answer, but I hope you find that one day too, Lucas. I can see from looking at you now how exhausted you are, and you were never the guy the who wore a suit every day, or who wanted to work in an office. This isn't you, you've got a really good heart, you deserve that. You deserve a family and a life that you love to live…look me in the eye and say you look forward to work every day and getting home to sit by yourself to watch basketball games," and he couldn't do it.

"What happened at the hospital? You were acting weird when you walked in," she looked at him, poking him in the arm a few times.

"I ran into Peyton…"

Haley sighed, "I forgot to mention she was gonna be in the area, I'm sorry, Luke. Her aunt's in the hospital here, she's staying like fifteen minutes away from here, so I really didn't think you had any chance of running into her. What happened?"

"I dropped a picture out of my wallet, she saw it, looked at me, ran away, yelled at me, apologized when she found out about my Mom. And then when I was done talking to my mom she ran after me but I left her there," he met his friend's stare, looking for guidance.

"What was the picture of that made her yell?" and then it hit him.

"The two of us, from the summer that you were gone, Nathan went to High Flyers and Brooke was in California. I had her on my back, and we were…well, here," he took the picture out, laying it in Haley's hands.

The picture depicted two teenagers having fun during the summer. Lucas was in a navy blue swimsuit, Peyton had the same color bikini on. She was hanging from his back happily, she appeared to be laughing at a joke he had made at the time.

"_Gimme a ride, Luke, it's hot," she whined, walking next to him. _

"_Ugh, anyone ever tell you you're a pain in the ass?" he smirked at her when she swatted at his bare chest. _

"_Now, you **have** to give me a ride," he stopped letting her jump on his back and continued the trek to the beach. They walked on the boardwalk, past the tourists who were visiting for a vacation. Walking by all the small beach stands, a man with a camera snapped their picture._

"_Excuse me, you two," he motioned for Peyton and Lucas to approach his stand. They followed his instruction, watching him print a small wallet size picture of them out of his small Kodak printer dock which he was demonstrating to passerby's trying to make money._

_He went on and on trying to explain how the product worked, and how simple it was to use. Lucas interrupted him half way through to ask for a second copy which the man printed happily._

"_You want?" they shook their heads, watching his outraged expression and walked away in a fit of laughter._

"Why'd you keep it?"

"I dunno…I guess I just did, it was the summer she finally opened up to me, and it meant a lot to me. I mean we were really close up until she met Ryan. Just memories, I guess…"

"Most people keep "memories" in a box in a closet, not in their wallet, Lucas," Haley pointed out why she could've overreacted so greatly.

"Yeah, I get it. You think I should talk to her?"

"That might be a good idea," she punched his arm lightly, "I got clothes to fold, here's her address if you get bored," she handed him a small card with a hotel address scribbled across the front of it.

* * *

**The car ride** was about fifteen minutes as Haley had told him earlier. He filled the time with music, trying not to let his thoughts get him down again. Finally, pulling up to the large hotel he wondered what had become of Ryan from high school, why she hadn't married anyone either.

He made his way to her door, knocking just loud enough to be heard. Her hair was wet when she answered the door, she looked fresh from a shower.

"Lucas?"

"Uh, hey…I got your address from Haley," he commented lamely. She smiled at him, opening the door graciously.

"C'mon in," he nodded, entering the room she was staying in.

"Nice room…raid the mini bar yet?" he joked, making her laugh. It was so easy to fall into that routine with him, never really solving anything. Something they had done so often in their high school years.

"I would if it wasn't so damn expensive," she laid her towel down in the bathroom, walking out to see him standing there in his suit with an unbutton collar. He had taken the tie of somewhere in between leaving the hospital and standing in front of her. "So, uh, not that I don't like seeing you, but…what're you doing here?"

"I wanted to apologize for earlier. I kinda flipped out on you, but I'm just really stressed out, and I talked to Haley and I realized what jackass I was taking it out on you. I didn't know if I was going to see you again, and I didn't want to leave it like that. Well, not again anyway," he tried to lighten the mood, watching her smile at him once more.

"Well, me too, I guess I snapped. Just, the picture was a lot –"

"I know, I get it. Can I apologize for ten years ago too? For being an asshole?" he moved his foot over the carpet, suddenly he felt sixteen all over again.

"Yeah, I guess I can forgive you for that…so how's life been?" she walked around the room, taking a seat on the chair. Tucking her legs beneath her, she stared at him intently.

"Weird, full of crap I guess…"

"Well, aren't you the optimist," he showed her a small smile for the sarcasm he had so often got from her. "But seriously, Luke, what's been going on, I mean you can't summarize ten years into six words."

"Um, I graduated from NYU, and I've been working in some law department doing a bunch of paper work that I don't give a shit about. I don't have time for anyone so I pretty much live on my own. I get up in the morning, go to work, get home, order out, watch a basketball game and go to bed. Same routine every day," her face fell at how depressed he seemed about everything, how nothing seemed to matter. That was not the boy she knew in high school who had been so passionate about everything, even her at one time.

"Sounds…exciting?"

"Oh, yeah, let me tell ya. What about you?"

"Uh, went to Boston for art, and I've been kinda freelancing at different galleries and whatnot, it gives me enough money to get by I guess. I mean, my dad still sends me money to help me out when I need it, and I've still got the house over in Tree Hill. I just choose not to stay there, it's always weird being back there. I dunno, I guess I just haven't really figured out what I wanna do when I grow up," she joked, and he laughed, nodding his head in agreement.

And suddenly he knew what he needed to do.

"So, Peyton, you're not dating anyone are you?"

"Lucas, uh," her cheeks flushed red as she stuttered a few times.

He laughed loudly at her expression, "It's not what you think, believe me. Just are you?"

She shook her head, unable to remove the smile from her face. He looked so amused with her reaction.

"Okay, now this is kinda big, but it'd really help if you could do me this favor. I mean we're both single so we're not really losing anything. It's just when I was in my Mom's room she wanted me to do something for her, and I just feel like if she's going to be okay with leaving she needs to know I'm gonna be okay. She wanted me to make up with you and Brooke so I wouldn't regret that later, and obviously I've already completed half of that," he motioned between them, watching her nod.

"But she also wanted me to be with someone who made me happy…and I haven't had anytime to find anyone who I've wanted to spend my life with, but would you maybe be able to just kinda pose as like my girlfriend just so my Mom knows I won't be alone when she's gone?" he looked up to meet her eyes, finding her looking very cynical.

"But she knows we weren't friends and suddenly we're thinking about spending our lives together out of the blue? Plus, I mean Haley and Nathan will definitely never play along with the charade with your Mom, they'd tell her…"

"See, but that's where you're wrong. We just won't tell anyone, only me and you will know. And I'll tell my Mom we ran into each other a while ago and I just couldn't find the right time to tell her I was back with you, but since she might not be around I decided I wanted to let her know…I'll just tell her something like that. Just, it'd really make her feel a lot better about going, and I don't want her to…pass away without knowing I'll be alright. I mean maybe it'll be a lie, but just so she'll feel better about leaving me, please," he sat on the bed across from the chair she was in. They were very close by that point, she looked hesitant.

"Why'd you keep the picture?" she asked him quietly.

"Look, it's been ten years, I'm not still hung up on our messed up high school thing. I'm not doing this as some sinister plan to get with you, I genuinely want to make my Mom feel better. I mean I know you're someone I can count on, and I wouldn't ask if this didn't mean a lot to me to let her know I want to do what she asked of me. We just have to pose for a little while, and then after…everything blows over, I'll tell Haley and Nathan things didn't work out and you had to leave, just, please. I know it's been ten years and it's a big question…"

She suddenly nodded her head, "This is strictly for your Mom. There will be no sex here," he chuckled at her serious expression during that last part, "I'm not even kidding. No sex at all, no exceptions. Maybe a quick kiss on the lips and the hand holding bit to be believable, but _nothing_else, and you will touch nothing below my neck besides my waist, and those are the conditions," she smiled sweetly at him, blowing him a fake kiss.

"You wanna come back to Nathan and Haley's for a while, we can make the big announcement," he wiggled his eyebrows, receiving a shove in the shoulder.

"Yeah, gimme a minute to get my stuff."

* * *

**Okay, so I like this one. It got a bit lighter, but I like the outcome. I hope the plot is interesting enough, and that the story's keeping your attention. Anyway REVIEW!**


	3. Some Things Left Unsaid

**His Mother's Last Wish**

**Author's Note: **Sorry for the delay on this story. I've been trying to balance them all out. Anyway, I hope you like where it's going. I figure I'm always making Peyton the one who needs to be saved and needing so much help. Well, time to turn the tables, make Lucas the one who needs the help here.

**Chapter 3: Some Things Left Unsaid

* * *

**

**They were both** suddenly standing just outside of Haley and Nathan's front door, neither quite sure if the plan was going to work, maybe it was just a waste of time.

"So…I just wanted to thank you for doing this…" he stammered, looking for the words.

"Eh, because I've got so many other things to do with my life right now," he chuckled at her cynicism, looking skeptically at the front door again.

"You ready?" he saw her shrug from the corner of his eye, taking that as a yes he pushed through the door.

"Hales?" his voice bellowed through the house, upon hearing him she went bounding down the stairs, finding Lucas standing with Peyton next to him.

"Hey, Peyton!" she grabbed the blonde, pulling her into a breathtaking hug. She hadn't seen the girl in years, they had only been in contact by phone and e-mails.

"Hey, Haley, you look good after those two kids," Peyton's comment made Haley smile, and as she let go she took a minute to digest the differences in her old friend. Peyton Sawyer had barely aged, still looking like a radiant seventeen year old. A few more wrinkles around her eyes were noticeable, she looked a little more tired and stressed out, her hair had darkened slightly over the years, but she was still the same girl Haley remembered.

"You look…the same," Peyton laughed, nodding and taking that as a compliment. "But…what're you doing here?"

"Oh, uh…well, see this thing –" Lucas watched her squirm for a few seconds, smiling when she slowly nudged into him looking for him to back her up.

"Uh, that's kind of why we're here, Hales. We're kinda together again," Haley gave them both a doubtful look before she started laughing.

"What?" she squealed through her laughter, as they both made the effort to keep straight faces.

"We're together again. I went over to the hotel room and we worked some things out, and it turns out we weren't ready to be finished yet," he said happily, Peyton watched him in awe of how quickly he pulled the story off the top of his head. She also took in his words as they made her nostalgic, she would've killed for him to say that to her years ago, now they were nothing more than a story.

"So…you're serious?"

"Yeah, we're serious," the confirmation from Peyton made Haley nod her head at the pair. It seemed strange, something seemed wrong about it. Like it had happened too quickly, something wasn't clicking exactly the way it used to, but she didn't mention anything only hugged them and wished them both the best.

"There's some movies on if you guys wanna use the living room," she suggested, walking back toward her kitchen to retrieve a glass for herself.

"Well, actually…" Peyton trailed off, looking at her old friend. "I was wondering if you'd wanna come back to the hotel with me, you know take a break from the kids and we can catch up," as if on cue her two children came running through the house begging their mother for ice cream.

"I'm so in!" Haley retreated back up the steps to inform Nathan, leaving the kids with their ice cream, and Lucas and Peyton to their own devices.

"So…I don't get to spend the night with you?" he joked, sticking his tongue out at the girl giving him a disgusted look.

"Yeah, like I'd be spending the night with you," she bit back, smiling at his shocked reaction.

"I see you've gotten better with the comebacks," she nodded proudly, "You know…that was one thing…we never did that," he stuttered out awkwardly, watching the blush creep up her cheeks slowly.

"Lucas!" she whacked his arm, he got great enjoyment out of seeing her squirm.

"What? I'm just saying…for as close as we were, and what a big epic romance thing we were…we never actually got there, it's just weird with the way we all were in high school…"

"Well, if we didn't do it then, it's never going to happen," she waved at her face with her hands, intending to push away the red color. "And since when were we a big epic romance?"

"Oh, come on. You know everyone wanted to have what we had," he teased her, grabbing himself a pepsi from the refrigerator. He threw one to her, watching her catch it with the same precision she'd had in high school.

"What did we have, Lucas? I mean, really, we were never _actually_ together at all. Not like you and Brooke were, or Nathan and Haley, or Jake and I or Ryan and I. I mean, out of everyone how do you call us the big epic romance?" she watched his reactions, it didn't take him long to explain his reasoning to her.

"Because…we were the star-crossed lovers who's timing always sucked, you know? But I mean c'mon it's been ten years and our history is still here. Look how awkward it makes things, it makes you blush, you still didn't want to talk to me after ten years. I mean, Brooke and I haven't talked, but things between us have never been like they are with us. Nathan and Haley stayed married, they don't count. As far as you and Jake or you and Ryan, have you talked to either of them, have you ever felt for them what you did for me?"

"That's prying…"

"It's not…it's the truth, and you know it. We had the kind of love Nathan and Haley have, we were just the people who wasted it, they were the people who knew what to do with it," he stood with his back pressed against the counter, watching her think about what he was saying. He didn't want to make things weird between them, and he didn't want to be with her anymore, but there were some things that had always been left unsaid.

"We didn't have what Nathan and Haley have," she waved her hand, blowing his idea off.

"Yes, we did, Peyton. We were just too young and naïve to realize it, we had that," he nodded over to where Nathan and Haley were whispering in each other's ears, his hands ran along the small of her back where her tattoo sat, he kissed her now and then as she giggled under him.

"No…"

"Yes, it was there. It's always gonna be there…just we're different now, so it's worthless. You only get that once in a lifetime."

"Don't say that," she looked at him seriously. "How do you know I didn't –"

"You and Jake were nothing compared to us, you know it."

"What makes you so conceited?"

"I'm not…believe me I'm not trying to be. Do I look cocky or conceited to you? Maybe I was, but look at how I live now, I don't have a damn thing to be cocky about. I'm telling you the honest truth, we had something people get once in a lifetime, Peyton, but I think it was probably just too much for us to deal with at seventeen so we let it go. And it sucks, but we've both moved on…I guess it's just something for you to think about while you're with me," he winked, walking into the other room to clear his throat.

* * *

**His noises made** the two brunettes jump apart, Haley blushed profusely, giggling while Nathan ran his hands along her sides.

"I've gotta go, Nathan," she turned back to him, letting his lips brush hers quickly.

"You better be back tomorrow, Luke and I are not babysitters here," he flashed his brother a smirk, watching him agree.

"No way, Hales. You get back here tomorrow, and bring her back with ya," he nodded off to Peyton who stood looking lost in thought.

"Peyton!" the blonde perked her head up, looking at the other three who were staring.

"Huh?"

She received a laugh from each of them for her state of mind, she shook her head a few times, heading for the door. She waved Haley along, as they walked out, they both smiled at the boys.

"So, you and Peyton again?"

"Me and Peyton again," he confirmed.

"This is real…like you're really –"

"Yeah, we're really back together. Why is it so weird?"

"I dunno. I guess after the way you left her, and everything she went through after that…I just find it weird that she'd be giving her heart back to you so quickly," Nathan commented, walking back to his living room where the TV sat.

"What? Wait, what do you mean all she went through?"

"You never heard about everything after you left?" Nathan rose his eyebrows at his brother, figuring it was common knowledge to him by now. "Wow, I don't believe your mom didn't say anything…she was a big part in helping Peyton."

"What?"

"_Hey, Karen…where's Luke?" Peyton strolled through the small café, looking at the woman who was like a mother to her, even after she and Lucas were no longer near together._

"_Peyton…" Karen trailed off quietly, she was shocked the young girl didn't know yet. "You don't know?"_

"_Know what?" Peyton was obviously confused, she remembered being with Lucas the night before, she remembered kissing him in the back of her car…but she couldn't remember anything past that._

"_You might wanna take a seat," Peyton did as she was told, the older woman approached her, sitting on the bench seat across from her. "Peyton, Lucas left this morning…"_

"_Left?"_

"_He's gone off to college early, he left a few hours ago."_

"_Well he'll be back for Christmas and stuff right?" she worriedly watched Karen's reactions, knowing it wasn't as good as she wanted it to be._

"_He's gone, he's not going to come back," Karen grabbed Peyton's hands in her own, watching the young girl's expressions carefully. She knew how close Lucas and Peyton had been, whether they were together or not, he had been a huge support in her life._

"_No, that's not right. We were supposed to hang out today!" Peyton was shaking her head, denying everything she was being told. It didn't make sense, he had become like a best friend to her over the summer, he had become the one person who never left. And he was gone?_

"_I'm really sorry…he said he told you last night?"_

"_No, no he didn't. He wasn't supposed to leave me, Karen. He was the **one person** who was never supposed to leave me! He has to come back!" the blonde was obviously very unstable Karen noticed, standing to meet her in the middle of the café. _

"_Come here," Lucas's mother pulled his ex-girlfriend to her, holding her tightly, letting her breathe. Peyton's eyes filled with tears, but she didn't let them fall, she wouldn't cry over him this time._

"_I'll be fine, don't worry about me," Peyton whispered, trying to keep her voice level._

"_I always worry…you've been like another daughter to me, Peyton…I'll always worry," it broke Peyton's heart to hear her talking like that. She hadn't had a mother figure since she was nine, it was a nice change._

"_Thank you," Peyton pulled away, leaving the café in a hurry, her tears falling down her cheeks, making it much colder in the thirty degree weather. "Damn it!" she wasn't supposed to cry over him, she told herself that, she promised herself she wouldn't._

"_Peyton?" Haley noticed her tears, watching her storm past them. Haley, Brooke, Nathan, and Jake and been out for the day. Jake had returned for the end of senior year, but Peyton had been with Ryan by that time, and he willingly gave her up this time around. He had only wanted to see her happy._

"_What happened?" Brooke looked at Haley confused, and then suddenly they both knew._

"_Lucas," they stated together, sending each other worried looks. Nathan and Jake stood back confused, they both knew, but it didn't click that he was the reason she was so upset. "C'mon," Haley grabbed Brooke's arms as they both took off running. _

"_Peyton!" Brooke called after her best friend who ended her run at the River Court. Thy watched the blonde pick up the orange basketball, throwing it with all her might out at the river._

"_What's wrong with me?" she cried, pleading with the sky for an answer._

"_This is bad," Haley said to herself, looking over at Brooke. The brunette nodded, both of them stepping out to her._

"_Peyton," Brooke called out softly, watching how fragile her best friend had become._

"_Go away," she said through tears, "no one else has a problem with it."_

"_We're not leaving," Haley inserted forcefully. "You're our best friend, we're not leaving you…I'm sorry everyone else did."_

"_Just go, Haley. Don't try to make me any false promises," the blonde's voice was ice cold, she was angry, hurt and betrayed. He had made promises to her, promises of never going anywhere but he was gone now._

"_I'm not. It's the truth."_

"_No, it's not. You all leave, people always leave," she tucked her head down to her knees, her sobs loud enough for them both to hear clearly._

"_Come on," Brooke grabbed the girl against her will holding her. Her best friend from when they were nine, but even Brooke had left her in the dust in that period of the Lucas/Peyton/Brooke triangle._

"_Can't you just let me do this?"_

"_No, you can't do it by yourself…you'll fall apart if you try," Haley said strongly. She rubbed Peyton's back a few times, though Peyton just wanted to be alone._

"_I think I need help…" they both looked at her agreeing, but the blonde shook her head vehemently. "I mean, real help, you guys. Look at me…no seventeen year old should feel this broken…I think I need like counseling with all of this. I don't think you can fix it this time…"_

"_Is that what you want?" Brooke questioned her friend, the sudden turn around shocked them all._

"_No, but it's what I need."_

"Peyton…she went to a shrink?" Lucas was astounded at the information. It was very unlike her. But thinking about it now, she was so different to him from when she was in high school, she seemed happier to be alive.

"Yeah, for a few years, through college and everything. It helped her a lot, I mean look at her now…that's not the girl we grew up with. I mean, she's still got a lot to deal with, she's still really hurt, but she's dealing with it better. A lot better. So…don't hurt her, Lucas. I'm serious, if you do I'll be forced to come after you…you may be my brother, but she's been through too much and I won't watch you do it to her again," Nathan warned his older brother of the consequences, Lucas could do nothing but nod.

"I won't…I'll take care of her."

"I'm not kidding around, Lucas. You weren't there, that was just the beginning of it all, of everything. It all came out over the rest of the summer and the next few years, **everything.** Between stuff with her mom, everything with you her and Brooke, the trust and commitment issues she had, her issues with people leaving, the issues she had with Jake…all it was out there, and she was really broken for a long time. It took her years to get where she's at, and she's doing really good. She smiles more, I talk to her on the phone a lot, you can hear how much her spirits have lifted. Don't hurt her, or I will kick your ass."

"I know –"

"You don't. You're a huge part of why she went through a lot of that…you're a lot of why she had those commitment and trust issues…every time she put it out there for you, you did nothing but throw it all away. Don't do it again…she needs people who genuinely care about her," Nathan said everything with a slight edge to his words. Lucas had to know he couldn't tear her heart into pieces the way he had before.

"I know, I know. We'll be okay."

**Eh, I don't now, not my best work. But I had to put it out there for you, I know this was a little slow moving, but I've gotta work some back story into it so you'll get where everything's coming from. Anywho, REVIEW!**


	4. So Many What Ifs

**His Mother's Last Wish**

**Author's Note**: I'm really sorry for the delay guys, I did not abandon this story though. I'll still be updating it, no worries. I just haven't gotten the chance recently.

**Chapter 4: So Many What Ifs…

* * *

**

**Lucas had been** in bed for twenty minutes already, it was only eleven thirty. The boys had looked after the two kids as promised, squeezing in one of the college basketball games after getting the trouble-makers to bed. His mind was wandering to all kinds of places: his mother's impending death, his brother and sister-in-law, niece and nephew. Where was Brooke now? Where had Jake disappeared to? What else did Peyton go through after he left? What would things have been like if he had stayed? Would he be married with kids now? Would Peyton or Brooke have played any part in his future? There were so many what ifs that he wanted answers to. Looking at his life now…it was all work, and he had to wonder if his mother's death would be any sort of a wake up call.

* * *

**Peyton and Haley** were still up, they had finally gotten to the mini bar only about fifteen minutes before. They had tried to convince themselves all night that it would be too expensive, not worth it…temptation had gotten the best of both of them. Peyton relaxed herself with the mini vodkas while Haley took some Snickers as replacements. Sometimes her pregnancies were a little inconvenient.

"Okay…I know you guys already confirmed this at the house…but you and Lucas? After the way he left you…after everything you went through?"

"I know, it's a little weird for me too…but I guess when it's mean to be it's bound to happen," Peyton shrugged, wondering about her own words. If they were meant to be was this fate's weird attempt at putting them back together? What if she didn't want to be back together with him? What if fate was totally wrong? "Haley…do you believe in fate?"

"As in…we've all kind of got a path and no matter what we end up where we're supposed to be?"

"Exactly."

Haley's brown eyes drifted off to the side of the room, she looked to be in deep thought, almost reviewing her own life for signs of fate's hand. She did have to wonder, a lot had happened with Nathan junior year, but they had somehow found their way back.

"I guess…I mean look at Nathan and I…I don't know if that was us fighting for it, or fate somehow finding a way to intervene. Why?"

"Lucas and I were talking earlier when you and Nathan were "saying goodbye"" she put the last two words in quotes watching her friend giggle. "Anyway, he was talking about how you guys were like meant to be and had this great love that would sorta conquer all…he said we had that but we threw it away. Is he right?" she looked to the brunette for guidance, she needed answers. She couldn't spend the next few months feeling like her whole life was a sudden waste.

"I never really thought of Nathan and I like that I guess…but to tell you the honest truth in high school I did think you and Lucas had something that I wasn't sure Nathan and I would ever have. There was just always this connection that would suffocate everyone in the room. We all knew it was there…Brooke knew," Haley got quiet at the end of her sentence, wondering how far they had come in ten years.

"It's been ten years, Hales. Don't worry about it," she smiled, which Haley returned, silently thanking Peyton for completing her thoughts.

"I guess it was just something about the look he used to get in his eyes…that day I caught you two making out in the library it was so blatantly obvious, but there was nothing I could do about it. I mean I wanted you guys to make it, I won't lie…my two best friends together would've been totally cool. But I guess it was obvious you weren't going to, the two of you are both really deep and thoughtful people, but you were both way too young for what you had there. So I guess I kind of knew from the beginning it wasn't going to make it out of high school –"

"You didn't think it would last?"

"I didn't say _that_, I said I knew it wouldn't make it out of high school…but I think we all knew it would **always** be there…even Brooke, as much as she fought for him, she knew all of this too."

She had to wonder with the newfound friendship forming between her and Lucas…was Haley right about this one? Was it all still there waiting to be uncovered? Were things bound to get more complicated? She didn't want them to, it had been ten whole years, and the old wounds from high school didn't need to be uncovered, she had moved on from Lucas years ago. _She and her therapist made sure of it.

* * *

_

**The night went **quickly, though the girls had gotten only an hour and a half of sleep. Peyton couldn't say there was a time she felt anymore like a kid since they all graduated and lost touch. She missed these friends, these people who were there for her to lean on…sometimes her therapist just didn't cut it. Sometimes it was just nice to have someone who wanted to listen, who wasn't getting paid to do it.

"I guess we gotta go back," Haley pouted as she finished her sentence, helping her friend gather the mess they made.

"Aw, I know…life still exists," she nudged Haley in the arm, teasing her just slightly.

"So…are you not leaving anymore…like after your aunt gets better?"

"Oh, um…I hadn't really taken it into consideration. I mean we're only a day into this thing, I guess I just haven't thought about it…" and she hadn't. How were they supposed to pull this off with her living in a hotel, her aunt in the hospital? It seemed life was suddenly getting just a bit more complicated.

"Well, if my opinion is worth anything," she picked up a few more bottles carrying them to the small trash can in the corner, "I'd like it if you stayed."

"What difference do I make?" she followed Haley through the room, mimicking her actions with the trash, "I mean you've got two kids and Nathan…and we still talk, it's no difference if I stay or go. We've been in touch for ten years through the phone and e-mails, whether I'm here or not shouldn't make a difference," she stopped in her track meeting Haley's eyes.

"But it does…" Haley heaved a small sigh, then positioned herself comfortably on the foot of Peyton's bed. "Of course it makes a difference. Lucas left that summer, the one person I thought I could always count on, we were best friends from my fourth birthday. I thought it would be guaranteed that we would at least talk to each other once a day, if not more, because he was supposed to be my **best** friend. And then suddenly…he was gone. And I guess I knew I had Nathan, and then you were here when things got rough with Nathan, or I just needed someone to talk to. And then, you were gone too. And it's great that we stayed in touch, that kept me grounded and I think I'd have gone insane if we hadn't. But it's not the same as having someone I can go to when I need to get away, or just someone who's gonna listen and let me cry. Lucas and I have been so strained…well I mean I guess that's what ten years does to you," she chuckled at herself a little, "but it's not the same with us. But me and you…our friendship's never changed, not even when you left. And I _need_ that stability that I find in our friendship, Peyton. My life's hectic, things with Nathan haven't been right for a while now, and I haven't been able to admit that to anyone, but they're not."

"What're you talking about? You're pregnant with your third, you guys were just like making out and whispering and giggling when we left last night…?"

"He gets like that when I leave him, because I have left him before," Haley's eyes were full of sadness that tore at Peyton's heart, "I walked out on him about a year ago. It was the hardest thing I've ever done. I only got pregnant because we got in a huge fight and I tried to leave, which left us on the couch taking out our frustrations with each other in the whole sex thing."

_It was about six months ago that the fight broke out between Haley and Nathan. It was just over him staying home that night rather than going out with some of the guys from work. She didn't think it would turn out to be such a big drama, but he apparently found her reasoning to be something he needed to scream at her for._

"_Nathan, can't you just stay here with me tonight? We'll watch a movie on the couch…like when we were younger…" she suggested her thoughts meekly, truthfully she was intimidated by her husband, she would admit that._

"_I'm not staying here again, Haley! Get over it! I'm going out, you know that, so stop trying to be my God damn mother for five seconds!" he was angry, he seemed so angry all the time and she didn't know why anymore._

"_I just wanted you to be with me, and you can go if you want, but don't you dare talk to me like that. I am NOT your bitch, I'm your **wife**, and you won't speak to me like that, I'm done taking your shit…" she made her way out of the kitchen, surprised that she had been able to do that._

"_I pay the bills here, I'll do what I want. You don't want to be spoken to like that, then you can go!" he pointed at the door, the ice dripping from his words._

"_FINE!" she made her way to the door, grabbing her coat from the hook on her way. She just barely opened the glass door before he grabbed her arm, pulling her back._

"_You're not leaving…" his tone was low now, but still just as malicious as it had been. She wasn't sure when he changed from the sweet, loving boy she had fallen in love with to this man she didn't know. He wasn't like this all the time, there were days when the atmosphere was just right that she saw him again, that she could find herself falling in love with his smile all over again._

"_I'm leaving, Nathan, and if you don't get your hand off of me right now, I'll scream, wake the kids so they can see what an asshole you are to their mother," she squinted her eyes at him, watching as he removed his hold on her, she had been victorious._

"_Fine, I don't have to hold you here, I can make you want to stay," he didn't smirk, he was serious, and the seriousness in his eyes scared her._

"_There's nothing you can do right now that would make me want to stay here with you. Maybe back when we were seventeen you could have, but right now…I can't even believe the mistake I made by marrying you," there was venom in her words. She watched his eyes, seeing the hurt register in the very back of his baby blue eyes, but he kept the front up._

_He didn't say another word, just swiftly moved to her slamming his lips against hers. She didn't want to let herself respond, but this was Nathan, the boy she'd been madly in love with since she was sixteen. And even when his personality or the ice in his eyes didn't match the boy she had once known, his kisses, his mouth, his hands against her skin **always** did._

"Things aren't right, and I don't know who to go to with this… I need you to stay here, Peyton, if you don't do it for Lucas, can you do it for me?" a few tears slowly dripped as the brunette wiped them from her own cheeks.

"Hey," Peyton quickly sat next to her best friend, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "I'll stay."

* * *

**The boys were** in the living room with the kids when the girls walked in. Haley managed to plaster a smile to her face, greeting her husband with a kiss on the lips. Lucas awkwardly made his way to the blonde, she pecked him on the lips quickly, smirking at his reactions. Her lips that he had once known so well seemed foreign, but still recognizable. She still tasted the same.

"So, how'd you boys do with my children?" Haley placed her backpack on the floor, making a trade for her little girl. "Hey you," Tara giggled at her mother. The one and a half year old was now walking and talking, and she was always able to make Haley smile.

"They were good, we had fun" Nathan walked past his wife, not acknowledging her in the least. Lucas didn't notice, but Peyton did. And suddenly it all seemed ridiculously obvious, why hadn't she noticed it before?

Haley quickly shot a look to the blonde, almost as if to say, 'see what I mean?' Peyton flashed Haley a sympathetic smile before she turned to Lucas.

"Have you seen your Mom today?" he looked away from the calendar he had been reviewing to answer her.

"Actually…I was waiting for you guys to get back, I was wondering if you wanted to come with me so we could talk to her?" his eyes searched hers, she shivered involuntarily at how he was still able to see right through her. She felt so naked around him, she always had.

"Sure…you wanna go now?"

"Yeah," he turned to his brother and sister-in-law, "you guys wanna come?"

Nathan looked at his wife, and even though he had been a complete asshole to her and hurt her repeatedly, he could still read her the way he'd been able to ten years ago. Her eyes were glassy, full of tears…he could see how much she perked up when Lucas suggested she could leave the house she had grown to hate so much. He watched her fidget, awaiting his response, she desperately wanted to get out, and he couldn't make her stay anymore if she wanted to go…but he did know they had a lot to figure out.

"Haley, you can go, I'll hang here with the kids. I'll go up to see her tomorrow, Luke," he nodded to his brother, Lucas responded with a nod of his own.

Haley's whole demeanor changed as she set Tara on the floor and grabbed her coat.

"Mommy will be back in a little while baby," she poked Tara's nose, watching the little girl smile. "Where's Mikey?"

"He wanted to finish some cartoon up in his room and then I told him he had to get a bath after that," Nathan gave his wife the information she needed watching her nod to him quickly before she practically ran to the door. He knew Peyton knew, he could tell from the looks she was shooting the blonde, from the way she was acting. Because they had been fine yesterday, they had been like teenagers yesterday, but now the hurt was pouring from her eyes.

Peyton grabbed Lucas's hand as they walked through his front door. He stopped Haley just before she left.

"Hales," her nickname stopped her in her tracks. It had been quite a few months since she had last heard that name from him. "I, uh…I'm sorry…"

She didn't ask him what he was sorry for…nor did she accept it. She just nodded, meeting his eyes for the briefest of seconds, letting him see the hurt and love that flickered through her eyes at the same time. And it deflated his heart to see her pain…the pain that he had caused her.

* * *

**Okay, may not have seemed necessary, but trust me it was. I believe Peyton and Haley needed to have that talk, giving Peyton more reason not to run from it all in later chapters. Also, it's gonna set up some build up for all of the characters to find out about Nathan and Haley, and everything with Karen will give them all a wake up call about the lives they're living.**

**Review for me!**


	5. You're About to Break My Fall

**His Mother's Last Wish**

**Author's Note: **I'm glad you guys didn't think the last chapter was unnecessary. I think I needed to put it in there. Also, I did get an overwhelmingly good response to what's going on with Nathan and Haley. I'll admit even I tend to make them the perfect couple in most stories because they're very rarely my main couple. But I want to keep this story semi-realistic so I'm going to continue to bring the drama with them.

* * *

**Chapter 5: You're About to Break My Fall**

**Haley sat in** the backseat, watching her friends interact in the front. The flame was still there for them, it may be a little dim, but Haley could see it growing, even now. She could tell things were off still, something didn't click the way it used to and there was more to the story of Lucas and Peyton than either of them were telling her. But she had faith that whatever was off would fix itself in the coming months, she had faith for all of them. Things were going to get better…or she at least had to believe they would.

"Haley!" Lucas's deep voice sliced through her thoughts. She fought to focus on him, raising her eyebrows. "I've been calling you for like five minutes…" he smiled at the small girl through his rearview mirror.

"Sorry…I kind of zoned out…" Peyton watched the brunette with worried eyes. Haley never did deal well when she and Nathan fought. The blonde could recall many instances from high school that Haley had shown up in her room in tears. But then again Haley had never been good in a fight with anyone. She was just too nice and fragile, nothing like any of friends…or husband.

"Well, we're here…" they all exited Lucas's black sports car, upon the exit the two girls watching his demeanor do a one-eighty. He was suddenly the twenty-seven year old Peyton ran into yesterday, he was the man neither of them knew anymore.

"Hey, you okay?" Peyton laid her hand on his shoulder gently, but he did his best to shrug her off.

"I'm fine…" she wasn't hurt by his actions, because she knew to give him his space, they were alike in that aspect.

* * *

**The hospital was** the same as he left it the day before, just a bit darker now. He still hated it the way he did the day before. Peyton watched him from behind, saw his shoulders tense when they stepped on Karen's floor.

She left Haley back behind them, the petite girl already knew and understood, Lucas needed Peyton right now. She laid her small hand in his, it amazed her that they could go ten years with such a screwed up past, but even in his darkest times he let her be the one to comfort him. He lightly squeezed her hand this time, thanking her without words.

Karen laid the same way she had the day before too. Lucas's stomach felt like it might drop out of his feet, he wanted nothing more than to get out of that room. She was the only constant woman in his life, and he was about to blatantly lie to her about his whole future.

"Hey Ma," he spoke quietly, afraid his normal voice might break her.

"Lucas," she smiled at her son, but her eyes lit up when she saw his hand intertwined with a girl from his past. "Peyton," she nearly sighed of relief. He would be okay...even if he was about to lie to her. She was sick but she wasn't stupid, she knew he had been by the day before and he was alone and miserable less than twenty-four hours ago. There was no way a girl he hadn't seen in ten years was his insta-soul mate.

"How's your day been?" Lucas questioned, watching her meet his eyes. He wondered what she thought of them together again, he wondered if she was going to buy the story.

"Well, I think the food's gotten better since yesterday –"

"Mom, you should've told me. I would've brought food from the café up," he sat in the blue cushioned chair next to her, a seat that belonged to him in her time of need. Peyton took her place in a seat across the room, but Karen would have none of it.

"Don't worry about it, Luke. Peyton, pull the chair over here," she gestured to the side opposite of where Lucas was seated. "Now that you're both here, can I ask what the hand-holding was all about?"

Peyton blushed in the dark room, hoping neither of the occupants would be able to see her. She waited patiently for Lucas to begin the story, which he did after he caught sight of her red cheeks.

"Well…I ran into Peyton a few weeks ago, and we've been talking and last night we decided to make things official," he smiled at his mother, hoping and praying she would accept his attempts.

"And you decided not to tell me last month when we were having lunch at the café?"

"I wasn't sure about things yet, and as of then we were just catching up on the past ten years and we were trying to figure out if we would be able to rebuild our relationship," his story was believable enough, and Karen figured if she had been a little bit more sick and a little bit more tired she wouldn't have even picked up on how much of a lie it was.

She thought for a few minutes, thinking of how much she loved him for what he was trying to do. She had an overwhelming sense of love when she thought of all the trouble he'd gone through just so she could leave peacefully. So this time, she wouldn't call him on it, she'd let him think she believed him so he could be at peace with his own life. Besides, she had a feeling whatever he was attempting to pull off was going to backfire on him anyway.

"I'm really happy for you, Lucas. You too, Peyton…you know you were my favorite when you two were younger…well besides Haley, but that's a different story," Karen winked at the younger woman, and Peyton quickly returned the smile. She gave Lucas's mother a quick hug and thanked her for the blessing. She sat and smiled at Lucas when all she really wanted to do was cry for him.

* * *

**They left the **room both smiling and waving to Karen as they left. Lucas waved Haley into the room, she sent him a sympathetic smile before closing the large, white door behind her.

Karen greeted the girl she had known for over twenty years. Haley engulfed her second mother in a tight hug before sitting in the chair Lucas had just occupied.

"Okay, maybe you'll tell me what's going on with Lucas and Peyton," Haley giggled shaking her head.

"I know just as much as you –"

"It's not real though is it?"

"They told Nathan and I that it was. But I don't know, something's weirdly off between them –"

"You noticed it too?" Karen questioned, watching Haley shake her head in amusement.

They both turned their heads to look through the partially cracked blinds which gave a clear view of the two blondes standing in the hallway.

* * *

**Peyton took his** hands again, watching them shake in her own. She couldn't explain the hurt she was feeling for him, she knew how this felt, she had done it twice.

"Lucas…"

He moved his eyes up from the floor to meet hers. His eyes were rimmed with red, but he wouldn't let himself cry. She knew how that one felt too, she knew **exactly **how he was feeling, and it brought back all of the hurt and pain to her heart too.

"I'm fine –"

"You're not, because none of this is okay," she pointed out, referring to his mom and how sudden it was that she was leaving him.

"Why?" he asked, his voice had been brought down to the tone of a child's. She had never seen him like this, not in all their years together.

"There's no good reason why. There was no reason for me to lose two moms in ten years, and there's no good reason for your mom to go either. It all happens for a reason though, you know…" she tried to make sense of what he was feeling, of what he was going through. She was trying t tell him all of the things she wished someone had said to her.

"Look, Peyt, you don't have to do this. You can leave, maybe it was a stupid plan…maybe, I'll just be fine, and you can go back to the hotel and just concentrate on your aunt and work. It's been ten years and I'm an asshole, you really shouldn't be involved in this."

She knew what that was like too, pushing everyone away to avoid the sympathy.

"I'm not going, because I'm here, Luke. Not to pity you or for this plan to make your mom feel better, but because I care about you. And because _you need me_ this time, I think it's about time you let me be there for you –"

"I'm sorry, Peyton…"

"For?"

"For being such a dick about everything. You know, you've been the one person I've been able to count on since high school, and even after everything you're still here right now, right when I really need someone. Thank you…" he didn't want to look at her after that, but he didn't have to.

She took him in her arms and made him feel safe. She made sure her arms were wrapped tightly around his neck while he rested his head on her shoulder.

"I'm always here if you need me, Luke, you know that."

* * *

**The two women** watched from inside the hospital room, they saw the desperation in his eyes while he searched for safety in hers. They saw Peyton reassure him that his life would be okay, that she would be there no matter what the circumstances. And they watched Peyton hug him, they watched her give him hope.

"So, what do you think?" Haley asked, awaiting Karen's opinion.

"I think that whatever they're doing is going to backfire on both of them. Because it's painfully obvious they need each other. And whatever they had in high school never really ended."

Haley shook her head taking all of that in, it seemed true enough. She just wondered if the same would prove true for she and Nathan; but she could only hope, because there were no guarantees in her life.

* * *

**Okay, tell me what you thought of that one. It may not be my best work, but it's got a good place in the story. **

**Review!**


	6. Can We Be A Family?

**His Mother's Last Wish**

**Author's Note: **Glad you're all enjoying, I think this should be a little more on the Naley side with this chapter. Still some L/P interaction, no worries. Enjoy.

**Chapter 6: Can We Be A Family?**

**

* * *

**

**She didn't want** to go home, not back to Nathan and her miserable life. But here she was, in the back seat of Lucas's car on her way back home. Well, it wasn't really home – home was where the heart was, and her heart certainly didn't feel like it was there anymore. She would've liked to scream, get out and run back to the safer days of high school and tutoring. Even to just go back a few years when she and Nathan were still so buried in their love. She would give anything to be there now.

"Hales, do you care if I crash at your place again?" she loved that he was back, that he would stay at her house. Things with Nathan wouldn't get out of hand if Lucas was there, he wouldn't dare try that. Then there was the fact that Nathan loved Lucas, and loved having him back, he wouldn't wreck their relationship like that.

"No, totally cool. Mikey loves you anyway,' she smiled at him, thinking of her children who had no idea who their father was. They still idolized him, still saw him as a hero when Haley could barely stand the sight of him.

"Peyton has to get up early for her aunt, so it's just easier if I stay with you."

"No problem. Are you at least gonna stay for a late dinner, Peyton?"

"Uh, well I was gonna go back to the hotel, but I can stay if you need me to…"

Peyton wouldn't dare leave if Haley needed her there, because she was worried about the small girl who'd had no solid figure to turn to with this problem for years.

"Thanks," Haley smiled gratefully at the one friend who's friendship had always been a constant, whether she was miles away or not.

* * *

**They stepped into** the Scott household to see Nathan helping Mikey in the driveway with a basketball that was almost bigger than the little boy.

"Alright, this is it…game point, Mike. Shaq's comin up behind you, you ready?"

"Let's go!"

"Alright, break!" Nathan swiftly snatched his son from the cement, flinging him over his shoulders and running to the basket with the same speed from high school. Mikey dunked the ball as they ran around shouting.

"Hey…where's Tara?"

"She fell asleep watching some cartoon a little while ago, so we decided to come outside so we didn't wake her up. She should still be asleep…" he smiled at his wife, but Haley didn't dare meet his eyes.

Peyton was having trouble accepting the information she'd received. Nathan still seemed so perfect, she was finding it more and more difficult to see him in a bad light.

"Hey," Lucas threw out, walking past his brother and nephew.

"How's Karen doing, Peyton?" Nathan pulled her aside before she was able to make entrance to the house.

"Eh…off and on. She was happy for me and Lucas. You and I have to talk later, Nathan. Maybe not today, but we will talk," she gave him a threatening look and it was confirmation enough to him that she knew. And that she was even more protective of Haley now than she had been in high school.

He was worried, he was going to lose people when this news got out, and it's not what he wanted. He didn't want their marriage to be this way, and he wasn't sure when it had gotten so bad, just over time he hadn't been able to hold up the good boy masquerade, he had reverted to the person he was raised as, he was reverting to his father. And he truly did despise himself for it, but he didn't know how Haley was ever going to forgive him for it.

* * *

**It was hours **later that Nathan had already made his exit up to their bedroom, but Haley couldn't force herself up there just yet. In fact, when she got the chance she liked to make it seem that she would fall asleep on the couch downstairs, but with Lucas staying she couldn't reveal her life. It had taken a while, but Peyton had been convinced to stay, and was now going to share a bed with Lucas for the night. The last time she had accomplished that was when she had walked into his hotel room drunk at the Classic of senior year.

"So you guys have _everything_?" Peyton knew Haley was stalling for time, so rather than watching her making an ass out of herself she grabbed her friend by the arm, pulling her to the other room.

"Haley, if you don't wanna go up there just tell Lucas what's going on."

"I can't do that…don't you get it? They're brothers, it would wreck everything, and I won't have sophomore year of high school re-enacted in my living room. Just let me do this for now, Peyton. Lucas can't know. So, I'm just gonna go to bed now, night," she flashed a smile before making her way up the stairs.

The blonde just shook her head, not fully comprehending the whole situation. It was all a little more overwhelming than she thought it would be.

* * *

**Lucas was already** laying comfortably on the pull-out bed, he was flicking through a few news channels, but Peyton could see his lack of interest in them. She had to wonder how she had gone from the most screwed up to the one who had to see everyone else's problems.

"So…back to this, huh?" he laughed at her comment, watching every inch of her slide under the covers and stay behind the invisible line between them.

"Cooties?"

She giggled and nodded like a five year old. He shook his head acting like he totally understood, she liked him in this mood.

"You tired?" he questioned the girl next to him, watching her yawn.

"Nah…I wish Haley had given us some more blankets though. She keeps this house freezing…"

"I could warm you up," he wiggled his eyebrows at her suggestively while she stuck a finger down her throat to mimic gagging noises. "Fine then, freeze," he rolled over in mock-spite, laughing when she threw herself over his side to look at him.

"You know I liked you today," she told him happily. Her long fingers made designs on the side of his white t-shirt. He couldn't get her to meet his eyes, but he watched her anyway.

"Good to know. You'll have to tell me the days you don't like me."

"I never don't like you…but you just…"

"I just?" he prodded as she took a pause in her words.

"You reminded me of the old Luke today," she finally looked over to make eye contact with the boy she had known for so long.

"What? I am…" he flipped back over to prop himself up on his elbow. She did the same before she attempted to explain her words.

"You're not. The old Luke…my Luke…he hated suits and dressing up. He was so full of life and had so much passion for books and writing and basketball and _girls_. He had a lot of passion for living. He would never run away for ten years without telling anyone. The boy I fell in love with has been gone for years, Lucas."

"The boy you fell in love with left when Brooke Davis entered my life, let's just put it that way."

"So you let her destroy you?"

"I didn't let her. It was inevitable, I loved her so much and then all of a sudden she dumps me, she wasn't even willing to let me try…" he didn't know what else to say, he felt awkward explaining his time with Brooke to a girl they had constantly fought over.

"What about me?" she whispered, wishing she could take the question back as soon as it left her lips.

"You didn't destroy me. You helped create me, you were _everything_. And that guy, I think he only existed with you," the glow from the tv was the only source of light between them, but he could still see the water that filled her eyes.

"Well…if that's the honest truth…I'm glad I bring that out in you. And I'm glad you let me see that part of today, it reminded me of high school…it reminded me of us…" she wasn't sure where all of this was coming from, but here it was. Out on the table in front of them and even she wasn't sure what she was trying to do with all of this information.

He didn't know how to respond to that, so instead two simple words seemed to cover the matter.

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"For today. For all of this, I don't know a lot of people who would do this for me. You're probably the only one. And I'm glad I have that in my life."

"You don't have to thank me for it. You were such a huge piece of my life, even if I hated you there's no way I could push you away. You'll always be in my heart, ya know? It's hard to just get rid of you," she winked at him watching him avert his eyes bashfully.

"I do. It's the same here."

"Good, as long as it's reciprocated…did you wanna call Brooke sometime soon?"

"Way to kill the mood, Peyton," he teased watching her look away. "Yeah, I'll give her a call."

* * *

**After a few** beats of silence he heard her voice in the dark again.

"Luke…"

"Yeah?"

"I'm not leaving you, you know that, right?" she kept her tone low. The TV shut off from the sleep timer, but neither moved. He could barely see her, only hear her breathing. "I'll be here, even when she's not anymore…"

"I know," she could hear the crack in his voice, but didn't call him on it.

"I love you too much to let you go through this alone," he knew what she meant, he knew she wasn't making any advances toward him. She was genuinely letting him know that she cared, that she always had. Even when he hadn't seen her, he carried the picture, and thought of her when the nights were just a little too long in the lonely apartment.

He thought of her more than he meant to, he had always cared too.


	7. Walk Slowly For A Moment

**His Mother's Last Wish**

**Author's Note: **Sorry for the delay on the stories guys. My time's been really consumed but I'm still working on the updates. I'm not giving up on these stories. Thanks so much for the reviews and for still reading :)

**Chapter 7: Walk Slowly For A Moment

* * *

**

**The sun hit **his eyes, interrupting his somewhat peaceful sleep. He found the blonde wrapped up in his arms, sleeping comfortably up against him. It made him feel a little more at peace with the world to feel her there; to feel her heart beat against his own chest made the world a better place, if only for a few minutes.

"I know you're watching me," she whispered, giggling as he tensed up around her.

"I didn't know you were awake," he stammered, trying to explain what he was doing.

"I've been awake, but I didn't want to move…uh," she paused trying to re-explain herself too, "I mean like if I had moved you would've been awake and you needed sleep…ya know?" her face flushed a red color, making him laugh.

"I think you just liked being here all in my arms," he wiggled his eyebrows again as her face became more red than it was before.

"And if that was the case?" she bit back, slipping out of the covers with a seductive smile.

He didn't know how to answer that, instead he just kind of grinned at her and watched her walk out of the room.

* * *

**Haley, Nathan and** the kids were in different rooms of the house. Haley looked lonely, sitting by herself in front of the TV – Peyton joined her.

"How'd you sleep?" Haley didn't look over when asking the question, just kept her eyes straight ahead.

"Good…you'll," she stopped, "Never mind."

She desperately wanted to tell Haley about her morning, about how much closer her and Lucas were getting. About how much the idea of that terrified her, she didn't know if she could handle it all over again. But she couldn't, they had everyone believing they were real.

"See, I hate when you do that stuff," Haley finally looked over, smiling at the girl beside her.

"You love it," she stuck her tongue out at her small friend before getting serious. "I wanna talk to Nathan, Haley."

"About?"

"This whole thing with you guys. He's being an asshole, Hales, that's not the guy you married. You deserve more than that, and I hate seeing you miserable," Peyton pulled her long legs up to her chest, letting her hands wrap around them near her ankles.

"I don't know if that's a good idea. I don't know if he'd get mad at you…or me," she finished the sentence quietly, wondering if Peyton heard her last two words.

"He won't get mad at you; I'll make sure of that. I'm lookin out for ya, buddy," she nudged her elbow into the girl next to her as a gesture of affection.

"Look, if you really want to…I'm not gonna stop you. Just…Peyton…"

Peyton looked over to find Haley staring at her with the utmost seriousness. She had never seen Haley so serious or so empty looking. It almost scared her.

"Please don't make this any worse for me…I can't stand living here as it is."

* * *

**Nathan was sitting** on a couch in the living room with a newspaper and cup of juice. He seemed content with his life, she hated him for that. Haley was absolutely miserable; just having a hard time making it through every day – and here he was. Just reading and drinking his juice like nothing was wrong here…everything was wrong.

"You and I have some things to talk about, Nathan."

He looked up; his hair was nicely disheveled on top of his head. He looked like he hadn't slept well at all. She didn't feel bad for him.

"Like what?"

"Don't play dumb; don't act like you don't know. Meet me at the River Court in ten minutes…you better be there, Nathan or I will hunt your ass down."

* * *

**He showed up**, he was in no mood to face the rage of Peyton Sawyer. She was sitting on the picnic bench awaiting his arrival, she didn't move when he walked up.

"Okay, I'm here. What's this about?"

"Seriously Nathan, if you honestly don't know you're a bigger asshole than I thought you ever could be," she looked disgusted with him. Rather than fight her, he gave in.

"It's about me and Haley, right? I know she told you everything, it's pretty obvious with the way you've been treating me for the past few days…"

"The way I've been treating you shouldn't even be brought up here. I had every right to be ignoring you and treating you the way I have. After the way you've treated Haley you deserve a lot worse that what I've been doing –"

"What goes on between me and Haley doesn't really concern you, Peyton. What did you think this talk was going to do? Make me straighten out and become a better man?" he was cocky about his answer, very smug and worse than Peyton imagined.

"I didn't expect it to make you a better man, because I've seen you at your best, Nathan. And you have a really good heart, a heart that I was jealous for because it was something I never got from you when we were together. This was the bullshit you gave me when we were together," she pointed at him; referencing what an ass he was being.

"Well maybe this is just me. Maybe this is who I've always been and I was just able to put it away for a little while for Haley. Well maybe the novelty in our marriage has faded and maybe the real me is back now," he smirked at her; she slapped him right across his right cheek.

"You're a real bastard, Nathan Scott. You do not deserve Haley or how much she still loves you, or those beautiful kids for that matter and Haley sure as hell does not deserve the way you've been with her. She's an amazing person, Nathan, and a part of you used to get that. Where the hell is that guy?"

"Not here anymore? Leave a message at the beep," he chuckled at his corny joke, receiving another slap across his left cheek. This one hurt a little worse than before, she watched his eyes tear with satisfaction.

"Think about this Nathan, or I won't hesitate about telling Lucas. You know…she's always gonna come before you in his priorities. Especially if he finds out from her and sees the condition she's in emotionally. You know he wouldn't think twice about kicking your ass."

"You wanna play rough, Peyton? I did _everything_ for you when you went through your little stress breakdown –"

"So did Haley. This is why I won't watch her go through this. You're so much better than this –"

"According to you I'm a bastard and I remind you of the way we were in high school. Well If I remind you of high school maybe this will jog your memory a little more," she didn't have time to react when he stepped in and kissed her in anger and lust. The way he used to freshman year when all they were was rough sex and insults.

She pushed him away **immediately** slapping him repeatedly on both cheeks.

"WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE! YOU ARE SUCH AN ASSHOLE! She loves you so much, you're throwing it away. I don't know why you would do that, there are guys who would kill for her, but you choose to be a dick and try to kiss her best friend. Yeah, real good idea, you deserve to rot. You're such a fucking asshole, you come near me at all for the next however many weeks I'm at your house I'll make sure you're castrated before you can even apologize. Don't think Luke won't hear about this either. You'll be outta that house by tonight, so you better have a fucking place to go. I won't let Haley live like this," she stormed off in complete disbelief.

She had thought of him as an older brother for so long, as a guy she would always be able to turn to. Now it was like he was scum on the bottom of her shoe, she wanted to throw up thinking about the way he treated the petite brunette who meant the world to her.

* * *

**Peyton knew how** hard this was going to be to break to Haley. She had even debated not telling the girl, but in the end if she found out later it would just be a lot worse. Haley needed to know now so she could figure out what to do with the information.

Nathan didn't follow her back to the house, he walked the opposite way. She was glad; she would have seriously debated hurting him if he had followed.

"Hey, Haley!" she shouted through the house, finding the small girl in the backyard with Lucas and the two kids.

"Hey, how'd it go?" Haley walked up to meet Peyton, making sure they were out of earshot before Peyton could answer her.

"Hey, Luke, you wanna take the kids to the park so Haley and I can catch up on a few things. Girl talk and whatnot, you definitely wouldn't want the details," she winked at her fake boyfriend – he just gave her a lopsided smile that didn't quite reach his blue eyes.

"Uh…yeah, sure. You guys wanna go swing and stuff?" they both nodded enthusiastically at their uncle. They had taken to him rather quickly; he realized he would have no more peace while he stayed with them. They had become like little leeches and didn't let him go to the bathroom in peace. There was always someone banging at the door begging to go outside or watch a movie or read a book.

"Thank ya, darling," she feigned a very overly southern accent, much worse than the one that occupied her now. He chuckled, giving her a small kiss on the cheek before leaving with the two children following just behind.

"This can't be good, you sent Luke and the kids away," she ran a hand through her thick hair, heaving a sigh when she hit the iron of the chair on the patio.

"Just…don't freak out. I'll tell you everything, promise you won't freak out…"

"I can't promise that, Peyton. I don't even know what happened yet."

"Alright…" Peyton matched Haley's sigh before beginning her story from the moment she saw him at the River Court.

The blonde watched he friend's reactions as she talked about Nathan's cocky attitude toward her. She watched her eyes fill as she told of Nathan's denial of the man he'd once been. And then finally she watched the brunette breakdown when she choked through the telling of his violent kiss and abrupt leave.

"Haley, I'm so sorry…" she didn't know what else to say to the girl in front of her. She could barely imagine how much it hurt to hear all of that.

"No…I just – thanks for telling me," she tore away from the table and walked through the gate that led back to Tree Hill. Peyton didn't know where she was going, it worried her, but she chose to give Haley some space. It's what she needed.

* * *

**Nathan didn't return** home that night, Peyton and Lucas stayed the night again. Lucas watched Haley walk around in a daze, he knew something was up, but she refused to tell. He watched Peyton care for the kids and constantly try to comfort his best friend – she also would not tell him of the circumstances.

Haley went to bed when the sun was still up; she knew he wouldn't be home. Peyton sat Lucas down and re-told the events of the afternoon. His face went blood red when he heard of his treatment of both girls; it took Peyton a lot of coaxing to stop him from hunting his little brother down.

"Look, that's not what she needs right now. I don't even know if she wanted you to know, it would mean a lot to me if you would just go along like you don't know and just let me take care of her for now. She'll come to you with it when she's ready. Do you mind if I stay with her tonight?"

He took a deep breath, really and truly considering telling her Nathan needed to be punched and taking off out the front door. Instead he nodded through his anger and headed to the room where they had slept the previous night.

Before he was able to enter the room she grabbed him for a hug, giggling when he nuzzled his beard against her cheek. She had to admit, even if they were just pretending it was nice to have intimacy back in her life. She'd missed having this closeness with him, even if they were just pretending.

**Thanks a lot for reading. I know this didn't focus on Karen much or Lucas and Peyton really. But really the story has a lot to do with tragedy bringing them closer. I think with this new revelation of Nathan and Haley it will in fact improve their relationship. Next chapter should have more to do with Karen. **

**-- Review :)**


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